


scars and tattoos

by nonbinaryezrabridger



Category: The Get Down (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merfolk, M/M, don’t copy to other sites
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:35:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25321762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonbinaryezrabridger/pseuds/nonbinaryezrabridger
Summary: Dizzee has had the marks ever since he was a child. At first his parents had worried over them, but they didn't seem to be hurting him, so they accepted them as strange birthmarks and moved on.They're behind his ears, on his neck under the curve of his jaw, and on his chest, running parallel to the curves of his ribs. They just look like lines of scar tissue. He's never bothered by them, and he doesn't mind their being there.Then he drowns for the first time.[merfolk au]
Relationships: Marcus "Dizzee" Kipling/Thor
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	scars and tattoos

**Author's Note:**

> this was something I wrote as a warm up for my other get down mermaid fanfic, and I finally decided to post it on it's own.
> 
> tw for this story: drowning, temporary character death

Dizzee has had the marks ever since he was a child. At first his parents had worried over them, but they didn't seem to be hurting him, so they accepted them as strange birthmarks and moved on.

They're behind his ears, on his neck under the curve of his jaw, and on his chest, running parallel to the curves of his ribs. They just look like lines of scar tissue. He's never bothered by them, and he doesn't mind their being there.

Then he drowns for the first time. He's wandering through the small yards behind some apartments, and gets separated from his brothers. He jumps a fence without looking and falls into a filled pool.

He doesn't know how to swim.

He's drowning before he can even cry out, not enough air left in his lungs to scream for help. 

Suddenly, a searing pain tears through the marks. He thinks it's just part of dying; after all, he's never drowned before. The pain get worse and worse, and his pained scream forces the last of his precious air out of his lungs. He's resigned himself to his death when the marks rip open.

It's a terrible feeling, his skin splitting, the pain coming to an agonizing crescendo. But then the pain stops and...he can breathe.

Dumbfounded, he lets himself sink to the bottom of the pool. It feels natural, the pull of something in and out of the marks. He reaches up to touch the ones in his neck and finds a slit, edged with feathery, finlike flesh. He's not careful enough and he accidentally presses his finger in too far, sending a stabbing pain up his neck and deep into his chest.

But he's felt around enough to recognize what they are. They dissected a fish in class one day, and Dizzee was fascinated by the delicate gills. He just never expected to find them on himself.

Once he gets over the shock, he struggles his way out of the pool and finds his way back to his brothers by following their frantic yelling. He doesn't tell them, or his parents. He knows people aren't supposed to have gills and he doesn't want to know what would happen if his unusual anatomy was discovered.

\------

He practices when he knows he's alone, dunking his head in the bathtub. The gills don't reveal themselves whenever he's near water, they only open once he isn't getting enough air. That explains why they were never a problem before.

With practice, he can control when they open. It's an uncomfortable experience, choking on air and water at the same time when he can't quite get them open fast enough. But he manages to get it under control.

He has to control it. He can't slip up, can't let anyone find out.

\---------

He's pulled into the archway, the police close behind. He presses himself to the wall, keeping himself hidden as much as possible. The police run past, and Dizzee lets out the breath he's been holding. Then he turns to see who has rescued him.

It's a white boy, long blonde hair falling around his shoulders. If he's out here at this time of night he must be a bomber, but Dizzee feels his defensiveness rise. Tthen the boy recognizes the name Rumi and says he's a genius and then he’s Thor. Dizzee thinks of the bold lines of Thor’s letters and the bright colors of his backgrounds and he wants to know more.

They sit in the tunnel and talk for hours. Thor is endlessly excited and is even genuinely interested in Dizzee. He asks about the meaning of Rumi’s work, recalling details from memory that Dizzee hadn’t expected anyone to pick up on. They talk for so long that night blurs into morning, dim grey light of predawn filtering into the tunnel. Dizzee pushes himself up reluctantly, knowing he has to get home but not wanting to leave. Thor stands up with a smile as bright as the sunbeams shining into the tunnel and offers to walk Dizzee to the nearest station.

As they step out into the light, Dizzee notices the marks on Thor’s neck. They’re not like his; they’re a bright blue, like tattoos, and lower down on his neck than Dizzee’s. But still, they’re similar enough that they send his heart racing.

Could Thor be like him? Or at least know something about why Dizzee is like this?

There’s no good way to phrase the question. “Hey, are you a half fish person like me?” yeah, that’ll turn out well. But the only other way to find out if Thor’s marks are the same as his is holding him underwater until he starts drowning and see if his gills activate. And Dizzee is not going to do that, thank you very much.

They reach the station and Thor follows Dizzee onto the train, quipping that they’re going in the same direction. Dizzee can’t stop the fond smile spreading across his face as they settle down the chairs, sitting as close together as possible. Thor opens the small backpack he’s carrying and pulls out his book, handing it to Dizzee. Dizzee usually doesn’t like showing his book to others, but he doesn’t hesitate before pulling it out and giving it to Thor. For some reason, despite meeting him a few hours ago, he feels safe with Thor.

They’re flipping through the signatures, Thor gaping at Shao 007, when Dizzee sees his stop coming up. As he gets ready to leave, Thor insists he take his book and make a piece in it. Dizzee hesitates, it’s an unusual request, but he eventually agrees. As he stands, he can see Thor’s face fall. Dizzee is deeply unsettled by the thought of giving his book to anyone, but he wants Thor to be happy and he is curious what he would create, so he gives him the book.

He walks home in a daze, mind filled with bright blue eyes and golden hair.

\--------

Thor misses him at the writers bench, but they meet up in the tunnel later. Thor invites him to a party at some place called Soho. The way he phrased it, aliens and phoenixes at the party, makes Dizzee wonder: is this it? Is he like me and he's going to tell me tonight?

So Dizzee finds his way to Soho, nervous excitement buzzing in his veins. There's music thumping inside, but it sounds strangely muffled, like he's underwater and the speakers are above water.

He pushes his way through the plastic sheeting covering the door, coming face to face with a stranger. 

“Hey, I was invited by Thor is it okay if I go up?”

The man gives him an unimpressed look.

“This is a members only party.”

“But—” Dizzee pushes his way further into the room, trying to figure out how to convince him, the red light washing over him.

“Get out of here!”

“Wait.”

A second man approaches, a cigarette held loosely in his right hand. He looks Dizzee over, red tattoos like Thor’s glimmering on his neck. 

“Let him up.”

Dizzee slumps with relief, feeling the two men’s eyes drilling into him. He steps in, hardly believing his good luck. As he passes the man with the red marks, the stranger reaches out a tugs his collar down, revealing his neck.

“You'd better show those marks, man.”

Dizzee feels frozen with fear, having someone recognize them and reveal them. But nothing bad happens, the man just lets him go and shoos him up the stairs. 

The music grows louder, but still indistinct. The stairs end in a single door, with a woman standing outside. When he approaches her, she holds out a hand for an invitation, looking bored.

“Um, Thor invited me?”

She peers at him suspiciously. But her eyes catch on his newly revealed marks and her face clears.

“I'll go get him for you.”

She slips in the door, shutting it before he can get a glimpse of what's inside. He waits a few awkward minutes, and then Thor comes out, smiling brightly. Strangely, his hair is wet, lying limp across his shoulders 

“I'm glad you came, Dizzee. But before I show you the main party let's go in one of the side rooms real quick.”

Thor takes his hand, making Dizzee’s heart beat faster, and leads him back down the stairs and into one of the rooms branching off from the main entryway. The room is lit with blue lights, and strange patterns of light sway across the ceiling and walls, like sunlight reflecting off a pool.

Probably because there is an actual pool. It's set into the floor, a small circle with stairs leading down. It deepens into a dark blue at the end, so dark that it must not end, just continue through the wall and into another room, like an underwater tunnel. Thor turns towards dizzee, grinning, and says:

“You wanna swim?”

Dizzee looks at the water nervously, not forgetting the fact that he can’t really swim, beyond a half hearted dog paddle. And getting in the water would mean opening his gills, revealing his secret. So he just shakes his head.

Thor nods, understanding, and says:

“I’m going to get in.”

Dizzee sighs, feeling confused. 

“Thor, what is all of this about?”

Thor has shucked off his shirt and pants, leaving him in a swimsuit. He pulls his hair back up into a ponytail before saying:

“Just watch.”

Dizzee does, getting the feeling that what Thor is about to show him is important. Could it be that thor is like him and he’s about to reveal his secret?

Thor walks into the water, the blue light playing across his legs and then his chest as he pushes in deeper. When he’s up to his neck he gives Dizzee a last meaningful look before carefully lowering himself until only his eyes are above water. Then his gills open, the skin splitting to allow blue, fin-like membranes uncurl. They match his eyes as he watches dizzee for a reaction. 

Dizzee stays silent for a long moment, shocked and with his fear battling his hope. He’s not alone, there’s others like him. Maybe even a lot of them, if they’re having an underwater party. But most importantly Thor is like him and dared to show him, and now is waiting patiently for a reaction.

Dizzee doesn’t speak, just pulls off his jacket and pants until he’s in an undershirt and briefs. Then he carefully steps into the water until he’s immersed up to his neck. He closes his eyes and sighs at the familiar feeling of the gills opening, of water moving in and out of them. Thor is smiling at him and he raises his mouth above water to speak.

“I knew it.”

Dizzee laughs and says:

“You took a big risk, showing me.”

Thor’s eyes shine as he replies:

“It was worth it.”

They spend a moment just looking at each other, raw affection in their eyes and tension strung out in the air between them. Then Thor says:

“The party is through the tunnel. We can’t exactly talk underwater but we can dance and swim.”

Dizzee sighs, disappointed by his inability to join Thor, and says:

“Thor, I don’t know how to swim.” 

Thor looks surprised for a moment before he says:

“That’s fine, I can teach you, if you want?”

And holds out a hand.

Dizzee smiles at him, taking in the water droplets clinging to his cheeks, the pool light reflecting off the water and his eyes. And he takes Thor’s hand.

\------


End file.
